Here’s another move to add to your after work Pilates routine. Sitting all day at a desk or bending or standing all day in your work can make you feel tight and tense in the back and hips. The Spine Twist helps release this tension and improves your spine’s ability to rotate, increases your core control and stabilises your back and pelvis.
This is how we do it!
- Breathe out. Lie with your back on the floor and bring your arms to a T position with your palms up.
- Raise your legs and bend your knees so that your hips and knees are at right angles. Gently press your spine into the mat.
- Alternatively you can leave your feet on the floor as illustrated here:
- Breathe in and focus on your core (tummy) muscles. Move your pelvis and legs as one to the right side. Make sure you keep your knees together.
- Keep your upper body still and stable but relaxed. Try not to use your leg muscles to initiate the twist.
- Breathe out. Move your pelvis and legs as one back to the centre by engaging your core muscles (If you find this a bit too hard, it may be that you let your pelvis rotate too far. Slowly build up how far you go over time).
- Breathe in. Try this movement to the left. It is not uncommon for people to notice a difference in each side of their body. One may seem easier than the other, this is totally normal!
- Switch back to the right and repeat a few times on each side. To finish, bring your legs back to centre and slowly lower each one to the floor, coming to rest position.
Don’t be concerned if your legs don’t go too far to either side, do what you can and build up your range over time.